Spring Into Action | Sun Protection

To mark the official start of Spring – the season I get most excited about – this is the first of three “Spring into Action” posts I’ve lined up to cover the transition into summer (I swear I just heard choirs of angels singing when I wrote that).

This one is focussing on sunscreen. Although we all know we should be wearing sunscreen all year round, now that the weather is improving it’s a good time to amp things up if you’re a bit lazy about it during winter. Gone are the days when you have to deal with thick, oily sunscreen that takes ten minutes of rubbing in to absorb. There are such lovely, fluid, oil-free formulas now that absorb quickly and don’t leave you feeling oily. Here are a few of my current favourites if you’re looking for a new SPF – and you should replace it every season, so chances are that you might need a new bottle.

Facial Suncreen

Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF45 (R590) is a tinted non-chemical SPF fluid which absorbs immediately and evens out the skintone slightly, as well as gives a hint of radiance to the skin. It’s designed to combat pigmentation, but then again so is all sunscreen… Nonetheless, I’m on my second bottle of this stuff. I love how light the fluid is and often use it on Moo’s face as well because it absorbs so quickly.

Clinique Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF40 (R295) is one I bought about two months ago, actually because I was looking for an oil-free moisturiser with SPF. Though this is marketed as a sunscreen it’s actually listed on Beautypedia as a moisturiser with SPF, because that’s what it really is. It is also tinted, so it evens out skintone a bit. It does have a glowy finish – not greasy-looking, but definitely dewy. I find it a nice, one-step solution for my combination skin.

Eau Thermale Avene Emulsion SPF50+ (R229.95) is a nice dry-touch facial sunscreen for combination sensitive skin. I was sent this with Avene’s summer press release, and was quite excited to discover that Avene does sunscreens too. This is probably my favourite drugstore skincare brand. There is also a cream formula of this, but the emulsion comes with a pump dispenser and has the texture of a light cream. It isn’t a fluid, but it absorbs quickly and doesn’t really leave a trace behind. And like all its products it contains Avene mineral water from some mystical spring in France…

Beach Babies

Cetaphil Daylong Kids SPF50+ (R187.95) and Avene SPF50+ Spray for Children (R295.95) are designed for kids’ sensitive skin, which in my opinion makes them ideal for grown-ups too. There is nothing worse than trying to rub sunscreen into a wiggly, impatient child. I love the Cetaphil Daylong liposomal lotion because it comes with a non-messy pump dispenser which dispenses just the right amount and it hardly takes any effort to rub in. It also doesn’t leave your child all white and weird, looking like an abominable snowman on a trip to the beach. It’s also very water resistant in both fresh water and salt water. You can use it on babies from 12 months and contains glycerin, aloe vera and vitamin E to nourish the skin. I think the price is pretty decent too.

The Avene SPF50 spray isn’t a transparent fluid but is also a light lotion with a spray nozzle. I’m curious to see if the nozzle clogs over the course of the summer. It also has that fast-absorbing magic, it’s fragrance-free, water resistant and it doesn’t leave any white residue. They tick all the boxes, whether you’re kid-free or looking for something for the whole family.